Bring your GC with you if you have one or the person whose going to be doing the work to eye things up. 

Good catch, I have actually had my eye on that property as well and was thinking of pinging the seller and asking for a showing.

You will run into these as a landlord and you can save a lot of $ if you can handle it yourself without jobbing it out. 4b) If you're good at sourcing fixer-uppers, while you're still renting but getting ready to move on, keep an eye out for a beaten-up multi-family, and take it down with an owner-occupied 203k loan - purchase and renovation funds in one mortgage, with a tiny 3.5% down payment.

But you do have to go into it with both eyes wide open. 

Maybe later on down the road, the contractor you have been working with will become trustworthy in your eyes and you could then look into a partnership like you describe. 

get to walking and talking to people . the deal will come read study know your area make yourself available keep eyes open for sellers and buyers alike. remember a seller was once a buyer. i'm starting out too i'm always talking business. i just got a private lender from an agent i just met it works if you work it .  

The benefit you will gain by hiring a crew to cut the lawn, trim the shrubs is another set of eyes watching your investment to catch any other property negelect or illegal activity by your tenants.  

#1 is a close second it, I think it catches the eye more. 

@Rick Baggenstoss you named the top neighborhoods I've been eyeing these last few months--I'm glad to know I'm on the right track!  

it's based on usage anyway (but i think both water and gas are lienable in philly so keep an eye on it)